Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal in Pakistan for civil and criminal cases. Constitutional cases are heard by the Federal Constitutional Court.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan is the highest court of appeal in the country. It sits in Islamabad and hears appeals against decisions of the High Courts and other courts and tribunals.
What the Supreme Court does
The Supreme Court:
- hears final appeals in civil and criminal cases
- decides appeals from the High Courts and some special courts and tribunals
- sets precedents that all lower courts must follow
Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. They retire at the age of 65.
Federal Constitutional Court
The 27th Constitutional Amendment created the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in November 2025. Since then, constitutional cases have moved from the Supreme Court to the FCC, including:
- interpreting the Constitution
- disputes between the federal government and the provinces
- cases about the enforcement of fundamental rights
The Supreme Court and the FCC work side by side, each in its own area. Justice Aminuddin Khan took oath as the first Chief Justice of the FCC on 14 November 2025.
Chief Justice of Pakistan
The Chief Justice of Pakistan is Yahya Afridi. He took oath on 26 October 2024 and remains Chief Justice of Pakistan until October 2027. After him, the title goes to the more senior of the chief justices of the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court.
Previous Chief Justice: Qazi Faez Isa.